Poetry in EFL class.

In the EFL classroom

.:. Poetry .:.

How much poetry do you read?

How does this affect your planning? Now, look at your pockets. What is in there?

Example 1

Ten Things Found in a Shipwrecked Sailor's Pocket A litre of sea. An unhappy jellyfish. A small piece of lifeboat. A pencil wrapped around with seaweed. A soaking feather. The first page of a book called ‘Swimming is Easy’ A folded chart showing dangerous rocks. A photograph of a little girl in a red dress. A gold coin. A letter from a mermaid. By Ian McMillan

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Example 2

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Example 2

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Example 3, Not Waving but DrowningBy Stevie Smith

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Questions From a Worker Who Reads Who built Thebes of the 7 gates ? In the books you will read the names of kings. Did the kings haul up the lumps of rock ? And Babylon, many times demolished, Who raised it up so many times ? In what houses of gold glittering Lima did its builders live ? Where, the evening that the Great Wall of China was finished, did the masons go?Great Rome is full of triumphal arches. Who erected them ? Over whom did the Caesars triumph ? Had Byzantium, much praised in song, only palaces for its inhabitants ? Even in fabled Atlantis, the night that the ocean engulfed it, The drowning still cried out for their slaves.

Questions From a Worker Who Reads, Bertolt Brecht 1935

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The young Alexander conquered India.Was he alone ? Caesar defeated the Gauls. Did he not even have a cook with him ? Philip of Spain wept when his armada went down. Was he the only one to weep ? Frederick the 2nd won the 7 Years War. Who else won it ? Every page a victory. Who cooked the feast for the victors ? Every 10 years a great man. Who paid the bill ? So many reports. So many questions.

Questions From a Worker Who Reads, Bertolt Brecht 1935

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Maley & Duff (2005). 3rd. Ed. Drama Techniques. UK: CUP.

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Mime a poem

Ideas from: Maley & Duff (2005). 3rd. Ed. Drama Techniques. UK: CUP.

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Praise Song

-Divide the group in teams. Make a "Praise Song" for the class.

Process

Mix up the lines and make one big class poem.

Step 3

Ask SS to continue some lines .

Step 2

Poem Lines. "I saw the best minds of my generation" "So much depends upon" "How do I love thee, let me count the ways"

Step 1

Yes and no to poetry in the class

VS

Use it as means to EXPAND their knowledge of the world, their creativity, their language skills, and just because!!!!!!!!!

Don´t use poetry merely because it includes key grammar you want SS to learn.

.:.Thank You .:.